After 300 years, finally a new parliament for Scotland..

It’s been a long time coming, but today the new Parliament buildings in Edinburgh have been officially opened, with some signs that the ongiong controversy over building costs may be put to one side after dominating the news agenda over Scottish devolution for the last four or five years. It’s actually been open for business about a month.

Question … IF and it’s a big if, IF the Scottish were to seek independence how would that change unionist in NI?

smcgiff

I imagine it would be in order of preference…

Union with Scotland
Union with the rump UK
Independent NI

Mick Fealty

Anyone any idea how likely a breakway Scotland is? At first glance it looks like the parliament will do more to save the Union than break it, by making a local political class responsible where before they could point to English ministers south of the border as the cause of the mess/change.

smcgiff

I’d say there’s very little chance of a break-up.

Similarly, if Home rule was granted at the turn of the last century, it is likely that there would never have been partition. But while we’re speculating, there’s a good chance that there would be a UI outside the UK in the year 2004 if this had happened.

Don’t think the same can be said for Scotland. The same divisions don’t exist. Scotland will be part of the UK for as long as that term exists. Will there be an Ireland or UK in 5k years time. Unlikely.

maca

I also doubt a breakaway will happen. Perhaps more unlikely now that before.
Well if devolution won’t bring independedce it might bring a time zone.

George

There is no mechanism for Scotland to leave the union just as there was no mechanism for Ireland to leave.

If independent Ireland continues to outperform Scotland at current rates and the brain and population drain south continues as it is, maybe a large minority of Scots might realise things can be different and may even consider taking their chances on their own.

However, Scotland is a different case and I can never see the independence group becoming a substantial majority although I can see divisions developing in 21st century Scotland similar to the ones Ireland (Republic of) mostly left behind in the 20th century.

smcgiff

Poor Greenwich. Has it any other claim to fame to fall back on?

I’d be in favour of brighter evenings. For me, mornings are a write off anyway!